Thankful for my Wife

     Today as my reflection is focused on what is true thankfulness; there is a beautiful picture of what God did in my life to show me what true love is and how it exists.  You see when I look back at my past and search the decades of growth and lessons, it came apparent to me that God wanted me to learn what love really was.

     There is no reason on earth that my wife should be with me.  There was a man there before God said enough was enough.  Selfishness ruled my life.  Life and its many temptations ruled by thoughts.  There was nothing to love about me.

     In my teens, my future started to take shape and the concept of love wasn't a Godly one.  It consisted of me thinking that the more I did and the more money that I accumulated would somehow equate to being more loved.  In my twenties, the belief that career success and bank account growth was all that mattered.  Working 12-16 hour days in order to achieve the "easy life" would benefit my family. What I accomplished was not knowing any of my family.

     You see, the belief that when I did things that were "good", I would be loved.  So, therefore, it appeared to me that I was entitled and deserved many things.  Because I was good in my mind.  The reality was that I chased idols.  Money, sex, control, and success were my thoughts in order to achieve that comfortable  place where I would be loved and be loving.

     In my thirties, God started to give me clues that were hidden to me.  He allowed me to experience financial loss, marital destruction, and the loss of intimate relationship with people.  I thought that because good things were done by me to others that the shallow display of love was going to grant me access to the desires of my heart.

     Psalm 37:4 states, " Delight in the Lord, and He will grant you the desires of your heart." What is delighting in the Lord, a mentor asked me.   The concept wasn't really important to me, because life was good to me.  The focus of materialism and wealth were much more important to me.

     Today, the reality of God is the focus of my attention.   God gifted me a second chance, maybe in reality it was a 1000th chance.  He is so good.  God granted me the lesson that love is eternal and it exists in Him, and because of Him alone.  When my life started to focus on pleasing Him; obeying Him and Him alone, then life started to offer fulfillment to my soul.  You see I need to put Him first in all things, not just the things that I wished for.

     My wife is a Christian.  She is the person that God used to show me, to teach me what love really is in this life.  You must understand that there is no reason for her to love me.  I am unlovable.  She is a child of God, a strong woman, that surrendered to God.  She knew that God created a partnership with her and myself, bound by Him.

     Today it is clear to me that she was used by God to have me focus on Him and Him alone.  Thanks to my dear wife, I am walking in the Light.

     Thank you Jesus.

Romans 2

Rom 2..

It is Not those that only hear the Word that are counted righteous, but those that obey the Word that are declared righteous

Friends going to church isn't the only part. It is important for worship, growth and fellowship for God and other believers. It is being with God 24/7 365 that is the sign of a believer.

Hearing the Word is the oil that make the machine hum, yet you have to let... God through the Holy Spirit change your engine. One part at a time. It is a surrender of our will.

I can watch video, read a manual, and stare at my car engine, I can even go visit the garage, but for me to have it truly repaired.... I need to surrender it to a mechanic.

God is that ultimate mechanic. God alone can fix the problem. God wants to fix it.

Don't just talk about getting fixed. Fix it!

Surrender your life to Christ Jesus. Believe in Him. Repent of your sins and be free. God grows joy, not just happiness.

Going all in for Christ isn't meant to be easy for it is by grace alone we are saved.
We aren't meant to walk the easy path, we are to grow strong in the tough terrain. Knowing God is always with us!

God wants to be with you forever

Amen

written by and borrowed from Pastor Thomas Kulp

Contentment

Things

Most of my life was lived with a sense of what is the next great thing that I can accomplish.  What is that next great thing to own?

A year or two ago I moved across the country and in doing so knew that I would be facing a different culture.  This culture had the rap of property theft.  As I thought about this, the Holy Spirit laid upon me that nothing in my truck or the moving van was really mine.

I am nothing but a steward of ALL things that are given to me.

My thoughts of loss turned to thoughts of blessings.  These things are only temporary in all ways.  God granted me access to them so that I may serve Him and to delight in the things of this world that HE provides.

What a great process to see all things as gifts, to see the blessing of God in all things.

Today my challenge is to remind others of the temporariness of all things.  See things in life as blessings.

After all, if you are saved, a child of the one true God, then no one on this earth can take the one thing that you have, sealed with the Holy Spirit in you.  That one thing is your salvation in Christ Jesus.

Amen,  Today see the blessings in all things.

Thomas

Growing for Christ

Growing for Christ http://tomkulp.blogspot.com/2008/10/growing-for-christ.html

Reason for the Season

Sometimes in our weakest moments we can find a reminder that God is with us.

At the top of our tallest mountains in life, God is there.  He was there all along, yet many times it would seem the teacher is quietest during the test.  God is with us.  As we mature as Christians and study His Word, allowing it to transform us, we will learn deeper and deeper the grace that He extended to us.

Today focus on the real gift of Christmas, our Saviour's celebrated birth.  We can be like the wiseman and give gifts to others to glorify the giving that came first from our Lord.

Bless you and keep the reason for the season, foremost in all that you do.

Jesus Lives.

Roadblocks

Obstacles and other roadblocks are sometimes in our life to protect us from going down a path that is not safe for us. Sometimes those roadblocks lead us to roads we would have never taken otherwise. Give yourself some quiet time, pray to God to give you wisdom and then trust your inner voice.

I am reminded of a time many years ago that I was traveling out west and decided to take a trip across Wyoming. Let me be straight it was a one day drive from Rapid City, South Dakota to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The next morning we left Jackson Hole to travel thru Yellowstone National Park and out the East Gate to go straight to Cody, WY. The day was sunny and cold, as we got into Yellowstone and viewed the Teton Range, I was in awe.

After watching Ole Faithful spout in full glory we had lunch and right about then it started to snow. The East gate was closed and knowing the park at night is not the best place to be especially in a Chrysler car, we hit the roadblock, turned around and made plans to exit the Northeast Gate. This was hours out of our way in the snowstorm. We finally made it to a small town outside of the park that evening and slept an exhausted sleep. The next morning we re mapped our route and traveled on a road named the Chief Joseph Highway. One of the most beautiful roads in the world. Had the roadblock not been there I would have missed this experience.

Trust that there are times that God allows a roadblock to let us experience greater joy than we could imagine. So trust in God. He knows the pathway we are to travel.